Arrangement in a filament-treating machine for threading the filament through the machine



June 1969 MERONEN 3,448,572

ARRANGEMENT IN A FILAM "TREATING MACHINE FILAMEN HROUGH THE MACHI F11 Oct. 26. 1967 FOR THREADING THE NE United States Patent 3,448,572 ARRANGEMENT IN A FILAMENT-TREATING MACHINE FOR THREADING THE FILA- MENT THROUGH THE MACHINE Teuvo Meronen, Porttikuja 6, Helsinki 94, Finland Filed Oct. 26, 1967, Ser. No. 678,271 Claims priority, appligafio; E i/nland, Sept. 22, 1967,

Int. Cl. D01h 13704, 13/26; G03b 1/56 US. Cl. 57-106 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In a machine for curling thermoplastic filament, the filament is conducted from above downwards, at first through a vertical oven in which the filament is heated to plastic condition, and subsequently through the curling attachment, in which the filament is given so-called false helical shape. Since the length of the oven alone may be several metres, the height of the entire machine is even greater and may be as much as 5-6 metres. On a machine of such great height two or several operating platforms are needed.

Prior to commencement of the machines operation difficulties arise when filaments are being threaded through the machine by their long path. The filaments, which may have been combined into groups of a few filaments each, 7

tend to float in the air and are likely to tangle mutually or in the complex equipment of the machine.

Aside from filament curling machines, similar difficulties are also encountered in numerous other filamenttreating machines. Such machines are, among others, the filament-stretching machine and the spinning machine.

The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the difiiculties mentioned above and to achieve an arrangement by means of which threading of the filaments through the machine is accomplished eflFortlessly and without risk of tangling. An arrangement according to the invention is characterized in that it consists of a vertical guide and a slide moving along this guide and carrying a device for securing the filament or filaments to it.

An arrangement according to the invention operates in that, with the slide at the upper end of the guide, the filament or filaments are secured to the slide. The slide is then released, at which it descends under gravity action to the lower end of the guide and draws the filaments along with it. At the lower end of the guide, the filaments are detached from the slide and carried further into the machine. The slide is returned to the upper end of the guide. a

In order for the slide to be stationary at the upper end of the guide while filaments are secured to it, it is expedient to provide at the upper end of the guide a device by which the slide is locked in place. The locking device may consist, for instance, of a spring which presses the slide against the guide. On the other hand, the locking device may consist of a magnet.

For the purpose of returning the slide from the lower end of the guide to its upper end there is, according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, at the lower end of the guide a spring which may be energized by depressing the slide and by means of which the slide 3,448,572 Patented June 10, 1969 of propelling the slide to the upper end of the guide with the aid of the spring.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the device on the slide for securing the filaments consists of a helical spring which has been bent to form an are so that the wingings of the spring are contiguous on the inner side of the arc but spaced from each other at the outer side, enabling the filaments to be secured by pressing them into the wedge-shaped interstices of the windings. For positive securing of the filaments, the helical spring has been attached to an approximately vertical plate around the lower edge of which the filaments have been carried to the spring and which has, for this purpose, notches serving to keep the filaments at a distance from each other. Each filament then forms an angle of nearly degrees at the lower edge of the plate.

The invention shall be described in greater detail, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is an arrangement according to the invention, viewed from the front,

FIG. 2 shows, on a larger scale, the slide which moves along the vertical guide, as locked at the upper end of the guide,

FIG. 3 shows the filament securing device mounted on the slide, viewed in the direction of the arrows IIIHI in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 shows the filament securing device, viewed in the direction of the arrows IVTV in FIG. 3, and

FIG. 5 shows the lower end of the vertical guide.

The slide 2 remains stationary at the upper end of the guide 1 by action of the spring 4, which presses the slide against the guide, as can be seen from FIG. 2. The slide 2 carries a filament securing device, consisting of a vertical plate 8 and a helical spring 9 bent to form an arc and attached to the plate. The filament 14 (or filaments) are secured in place by passing them under the lower edge of the plate 8, by which they come to lie in the notches 15, and by pressing them into the spaces between thewindings of the helical spring 9, where they are impacted. The slide 2 is then pressed downwards, by which it is released from the spring 4 and descends to the lower end of the guide 2, at the same time drawing the filaments along with it. In case the weight of the slide 2 is not suflicient to accomplish this, the movement may be assisted by drawing the filaments by hand. If on the other hand the movement of the slide 2 is too fast, it may be braked by hand by keeping a hold on the filament 14.

When the slide 2 has arrived at the bottom, the filament 14 or filaments are detached from the spring 9 and they are further carried through the filament guide 13 (or filament guides) into the machine. Subsequently, the slide 2 is depressed by hand, at which the helical spring 10 placed on the lower end of the guide 1 is compressed, until the nose of the locking bracket 7 on the slide 2 engages behind the pawl 11 at the lower end of the guide 1. It is then possible, by drawing the pawl 11 to one side, to propel the slide 2 to the upper end of the guide 1, where it will be locked in place by means of the spring 4.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus in a filament-treating machine for threading at least one filament from above and downwards through the machine, said apparatus comprising a vertical guide placed adjacent the path of the filament, a slide movable along said guide, a device on said slide for securing the filament thereto, means on said guide at the upper end thereof for removably locking the slide in place, a spring on said guide at the lower end thereof, said spring being compressed by pressing the slide down- 3 wards, and mutually interacting trigger elements at the lower end of the guide and on the slide for holding the slide at the lower end of the guide with the spring compressed, said trigger elements being releasable for the propulsion of the slide to the upper end of the guide under the action of said spring.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for locking the slide comprises a spring attached to said guide for receiving the slide between the spring and guide t hold the slide against the guide.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said device on the slide for securing the filament thereto comprises a helical spring flexed in arc shape so that the windings of the spring are contiguous on the inner side of the arc and ment can be secured in a wedge-shaped interstice of adjacent windings.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said device for securing the filament further comprises a vertical plate on which said spring is secured, said plate having a lower edge with notches for retention of a plurality of filaments at a distance from each other.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,094,761 6/1963 Dudzik 5734 XR JOHN PETRAKES, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

spaced from each other at the outer side so that the fila- 15 2862; 22692 

